Took at trip to Pro Football Hall of Fame and watched a movie on the past season, which of course finished with the highlights of the Super Bowl. What struck me while watching is that the Super Bowl looked very much the Steelers games this year. Starting out and getting a lead, yet leaving teams still within striking distance, entering the 4th Quarter with a double digit lead, only to let them score 2 touch downs and take the lead away late in the game. Luckily (like the Green Bay game) they scored early enough to allow the Offense time to go down and score last. Maybe everyone watched the Super Bowl and figured out what it took to play the Steelers. Just a thought, take the time to sit down and watch the Super Bowl again and see if it looks the same.

lionslicer

01-17-2010, 09:03 PM

I've been saying this for a while. Our defense has been exactly the same for the past 5 years, we get an early lead, defense gets ripped apart by opponents pass offense, but because we have a running game, it doesn't allow the other team to be on the field enough to win the game. But this year, we had no running game, or even a short passing game, thus why we lost 7 games instead of 4 or 3, or 2 or 1 or none.

Psyychoward86

01-17-2010, 09:42 PM

I've been saying this for a while. Our defense has been exactly the same for the past 5 years, we get an early lead, defense gets ripped apart by opponents pass offense, but because we have a running game, it doesn't allow the other team to be on the field enough to win the game. But this year, we had no running game, or even a short passing game, thus why we lost 7 games instead of 4 or 3, or 2 or 1 or none.

wat

we were the best 3rd quarter adjustment and 2nd half team in football last year. And those 4th quarter meltdowns have just been this year.

ytsan2q

01-17-2010, 09:57 PM

I've been saying this for a while. Our defense has been exactly the same for the past 5 years, we get an early lead, defense gets ripped apart by opponents pass offense, but because we have a running game, it doesn't allow the other team to be on the field enough to win the game. But this year, we had no running game, or even a short passing game, thus why we lost 7 games instead of 4 or 3, or 2 or 1 or none.

Very good point. We really have to be more unpredictable on defense. When you win the superbowl and are very successful everyone studies what you do. In the process they find ways to beat you. Has anyone noticed that all the teams that run the 3-4 have been lit up with the passing game throughout this years playoffs? I think the league has found out it's great against the run but you can find lots of holes in the zone blitz when it comes to the passing game.

Mags87

01-17-2010, 10:04 PM

I've been saying this for a while. Our defense has been exactly the same for the past 5 years, we get an early lead, defense gets ripped apart by opponents pass offense, but because we have a running game, it doesn't allow the other team to be on the field enough to win the game. But this year, we had no running game, or even a short passing game, thus why we lost 7 games instead of 4 or 3, or 2 or 1 or none.

if you watched the Steelers last season you'd know how much of a "lights out" team they really were. They were the top D in the league and everyone knew it. The difference in yards allowed per game last year between the Steelers and the number 2 team (was it Baltimore?) was the same difference of the number 2 and 5 D. they also held opponents scores way before the league average. this D and last years D were very similar for the first 3 quarters of a game. then its black and white (save the Super Bowl)

so in short, i think you are wrong.

Prok

01-17-2010, 11:13 PM

Took at trip to Pro Football Hall of Fame and watched a movie on the past season, which of course finished with the highlights of the Super Bowl. What struck me while watching is that the Super Bowl looked very much the Steelers games this year. Starting out and getting a lead, yet leaving teams still within striking distance, entering the 4th Quarter with a double digit lead, only to let them score 2 touch downs and take the lead away late in the game. Luckily (like the Green Bay game) they scored early enough to allow the Offense time to go down and score last. Maybe everyone watched the Super Bowl and figured out what it took to play the Steelers. Just a thought, take the time to sit down and watch the Super Bowl again and see if it looks the same.

Not just last years SB, it goes back to at least early last season. Somewhere along the line we adopted a philosophy of "someone will make a play to win us this game" IMO. And unfortunately it stuck with us ever since. :noidea:

SteelCityMom

01-17-2010, 11:55 PM

Took at trip to Pro Football Hall of Fame and watched a movie on the past season, which of course finished with the highlights of the Super Bowl. What struck me while watching is that the Super Bowl looked very much the Steelers games this year. Starting out and getting a lead, yet leaving teams still within striking distance, entering the 4th Quarter with a double digit lead, only to let them score 2 touch downs and take the lead away late in the game. Luckily (like the Green Bay game) they scored early enough to allow the Offense time to go down and score last. Maybe everyone watched the Super Bowl and figured out what it took to play the Steelers. Just a thought, take the time to sit down and watch the Super Bowl again and see if it looks the same.

Huh?

It was quite the opposite last year. In the 4 games the Steelers lost, they never had a double digit lead going into the 4th (or any other point in the game if I recall). The only games they won convincingly last year were the Texans game, The Bengals both times, NE, Cleveland in the last week and the Redskins game. They never gave up the lead in any of those games. In the other winning games (Balt. both times, Jax, SD, and Dallas), they had to make 4th quarter comebacks while the D held the other team to low scoring.

This season is NOTHING like last season. The only thing I agree with you on is that the SB (alone) was eerily similar to this season. Other than that, the D was lights out last year.

lionslicer

01-18-2010, 02:06 AM

if you watched the Steelers last season you'd know how much of a "lights out" team they really were. They were the top D in the league and everyone knew it. The difference in yards allowed per game last year between the Steelers and the number 2 team (was it Baltimore?) was the same difference of the number 2 and 5 D. they also held opponents scores way before the league average. this D and last years D were very similar for the first 3 quarters of a game. then its black and white (save the Super Bowl)

so in short, i think you are wrong.

The defense stepped it up last year. But we lead the league in sacks, which is why our pass defense was so good. Taylor shut down his men, but other recievers were typically open but quarterbacks had to release the ball quickly and could never make accurate throws. Its was a great defense, but it hasn't changed other than teams knowing how to block Harrison and Woodly better.

2004 great run game, kept defense off the field, great defense.
2005 great run game again
2006 team meltdown, the defense was even bad
2007 Tomlin worked with the Dbacks and helped out defensive pass schemes, number 3 in pass defense plus we still had a productive run game and Ben had his best season to date.
2008 Our offense was terrible, but our defense stepped it up with the pass rush.
2009 Our defense didn't have quite as dominant pass rush, quarterbacks were able to make half time adjustments and beat us in the 2nd half after we had somewhat good leads. We gave up 28 points to the chargers after shutting them out the first half. Unlike our 2008 defense which gave up a lot in the first half then stepped it up in the 2nd half.

lionslicer

01-18-2010, 02:08 AM

wat

we were the best 3rd quarter adjustment and 2nd half team in football last year. And those 4th quarter meltdowns have just been this year.

Defense was the same last year, but it was reverse, it was giving up yards and points in the first half then stepping it up in the 2nd half. This year they stepped up the 1st half, then failing in the 2nd half.

Believe43

01-18-2010, 11:55 AM

Huh?

It was quite the opposite last year. In the 4 games the Steelers lost, they never had a double digit lead going into the 4th (or any other point in the game if I recall). The only games they won convincingly last year were the Texans game, The Bengals both times, NE, Cleveland in the last week and the Redskins game. They never gave up the lead in any of those games. In the other winning games (Balt. both times, Jax, SD, and Dallas), they had to make 4th quarter comebacks while the D held the other team to low scoring.

This season is NOTHING like last season. The only thing I agree with you on is that the SB (alone) was eerily similar to this season. Other than that, the D was lights out last year.

I did not mention any other game from last year, only the Super Bowl being like this years games....

SteelCityMom

01-18-2010, 01:41 PM

I did not mention any other game from last year, only the Super Bowl being like this years games....

My bad...it sorta sounded like you were talking about the whole season at first. I do agree with you about the SB though, but do think that was more due to going up against an explosive offense than a complete defensive meltdown. This year most of the teams that came back against the defense in the second half was just flat out inexcusable.

pepsyman1

01-18-2010, 02:38 PM

Although I don't 100% agree with you I think you are right that the seeds of this seasons defensive meltdown were laid long before. For quite a few years our secondary usually plays very soft late in games with the cornerback cushions getting even larger. This year without Aaron and Troy in the lineup Coach D ended up blitzing far less in the 4th quarter than we usually have in the past. Between less pass rush and the soft coverage we made it possible for teams to walk right down the field in the fourth quarter. I'm a big fan of mixing up the coverages in the 4th quarter so that opposing QB's wouldn't know that had such a free pass going down the field.